Trussed board or support.



PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905,

J. J. DENNIS. TRUSSED BOARD 0R SUPPORT.

APPLICIATION FILED SEPT. 26, 1903.

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ON E-HALF TO TIET EDWARD T. FILER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TRUSSED BOARD OR SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Fatent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1905.

Application filed September 26,1903. Serial No. 174,705.

in a, whont it Til/(Ly concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN J. DENNIS, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Chicago, Oook county, Illinois, have .invented certain newand useful Improvements in Trussed Boards or Supports, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a new article of manufacture consisting of ajointed truss structure particularly designed and adapted for use asscaffold boards, circus seats, shelves, ladders, and the like.

Primary objects of the invention are to provide a stucture for thedesignated and similar uses which will combine the features of greatstrength and lightness and which may be folded so as to occupy acomparatively small space, thus providing for conveniently carrying andstoring the same.

Broadly stated, my invention may be described as a folding trussstructure comprising a jointed tie member, tension and com pressionmembers pivotally connected to each other, one of which is pivoted tosaid tie member, and means to secure the other thereof to said tiemember at opposite sides of the oint therein.

The invention also consists of the various features, combinations offeatures, and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, in which :my invention is shown asembodied in a scaffold-board, Figure 1 is a side view of ascaffold-board embodying my invention, showing the same extended. Fig. 2is a bottom plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectionalelevation. on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4- is an enlarged detailview. Fig. 5 is a side view of the scaffold-board in folded po sition;and Fig. 6 is a plan view of the said scaffold-board folded, showing thetruss members in dotted lines.

A structure, scaffold -board, circus seat, shelf, ladder, or otherarticle embodying my invention comprises sections 1 and 2, hinged orarticulated to each other, so that they may be folded together. Whenextended, said sections together form what may appropriately bedescribed as a jointed tie member of a truss structure. Pivoted to theunder side of said tie member, preferably at the hinge thereof, is acompression memher 3.

is obvious that the sections 1 and 2 and the compression member 3 willall be pivotallv movable about the same point. lvotally connected to theouter end of the compression member 3 are tension members 6 and 7, theopposite ends of which are adapted to be connected to said tie member atopposite sides of and against movement toward the pivotal point of saidsections 1 and 2.

In the preferable construction shown the outer ends of said tensionmembers 6 and 7 are pivoted 'to rods 8, provided at their outer endswith sleeves 9, which. engage guide-rods 10, rigidly secured to theunder side of said tie member. The outer ends of the guiderods 10 may besecured to said board or tie member in any desired manner. The innerends thereof are threaded or otherwise secured in holes or openingsformed in plugs 11 said plugs 11 being threaded to suitable holes oropenings in said board or tie member so as to be rigidly secured thereinand to project a desired. distance at the under side thereof.

The relation of parts is preferably such that when the sections 1 and 2of the board or tie member are fully extended the sleeves 9 will rest incontact with the plugs 11., which will thus form stops limiting themovement of the outer ends of said tension members 6 and. 7 inwardly andwill thus operate to support said sections 1 and 2 in extended positionwith their upper surfaces substantially level.

To provide for folding the sections 1 and 2 of the tie member closelytogether, the tension members 6 and 7 are disposed out of alinement witheach other, and one of said tension members, as shown the member 7, islonger than the other, the relation being such that when. the sections 1and 2 are in folded position the tension members 6 and 7 will lie sideby side and the rod 8, to which the outer end of the tension member 7 isat tached, will extend beyond the outer ends of the guide rods 10, towhich the tension member 6 is connected. Suitable means are alsoprovided to secure the sections 1 and 2 of said board or tie member inextended position against accidental folding, as in handling. As shown,said means consist of spring-clips 12, secured to the under side of saidtie member and adapted to engage the rods 8 to which the outer ends ofthe tension members 6 and 7 are pivoted.

I claim as my invention- 1. As an article of manufacture, a scaffoldboard or the like, comprising a support formed of hinged sections, acompression member, pivots connecting said sections to each other and tothe compression member, guide-rods secured to the sections of saidsupport, tension members slidably connected to said guide rods at oneend and at the other pivoted to the outer end of the compression memberand stops which limit the inward sliding movement of said tensionmembers on said guide-rods, substantially as described.

2. As an article of manufacture, a scaffold board or the like,comprising a support formed of hinged sections, pivotally-connectedcompression and tension members, said compression member being pivotedto the under side of said sectional support, guiderods secured to saidsectional support, slidable connection between said tension mem bers andsaid guide-rods and stops which limit the inward sliding movement ofsaid tension members on said guide-rods, the opposite tension membersbeing disposed out of alinement with each other.

3. As an article of manufacture, a scaffold board, or the like,comprising a support formed of articulated sections, pivotally-connectedcompression and tension members, said com ression member being pivotallyconnecte to the under side of said sectional support, guide-rods on saidsectional support, slides mounted on said guide-rods to which the outerends of said tension members are connected, and stop-plugs orprojections attached to said support to which the inner ends of saidguide-rods are secured, substantially as described.

4. As an article of manufacture, a scaffold board, or the like,comprising a support formed of articulated sections, pivotally-connectedcompression and tension members, said compression member being pivotallyconnected to the under side of said sectional support, guide-rodssecured to said sectional support, slides mounted thereon, connectionbetween said slides and said tension mem bers, and stops which limit themovement of said slides, the opposite tension members being disposed outof alinement with each other and one thereof being longer than theother, the relation being such that when in folded position the slide towhich the longer tension member is connected will extend outside of theguide-rods to which the shorter tension member is connected,substantially as described.

5. As an article of manufacture, a scaffoldboard, or the like,comprising a support formed of articulated sections, pivotallyconnectedcompression and tension members, said compression member being pivotallyconnected to the under side of said sectional support, and said tensionmembers being slidingly connected to said sectional support, stops whichlimit the sliding movement of said tension members inwardly, and meanslocated adjacent to said stops to secure said tension members againstoutward movement, substantially as described.

6. As an article of manufacture, a scaffoldboard, or the like,comprising a support formed of articulated sections, pivotallyconnectedcompression and tension mem bers, said compression member beingpivotally connected with the under side of said sectional support andsaid tension members being slidingly connected to said board, stopswhich limit the sliding movement of said tension members inwardly andspringclips secured to the under side of the support for securing saidtension members against sliding movement outwardly, substantially asdescribed.

7. As an article of manufacture, a scaffold board or the like,comprising a support formed of hinged sections, a compression memberconsisting of a bent rod, the bent ends of which form the pintles of thehinges connecting the hinged sections, guide-rods secured to thesections of said support and tension members pivoted at one end to the 1JOHN J. DENNIS.

Witnesses:

EDWARD T. FILER, XV. H. COTTON.

